Dr. Fletcher

We haven't really discussed this but I wonder if you've ever thought about having a new relationship with a different dog. Has that ever come up?

Marty

Well, I don't know.

Dr. Fletcher

(writing notes) A viewer named Danni posted this suggestion at www.helpmypatients.com: "Perhaps you could suggest having him start playing with other dogs... Maybe also just tell him to get a life." I thought I would try bringing that suggestion into Marty's therapy.

Marty

There's a park near where I live, a little public park. I go there quite often just to kind of keep my own thoughts and think about things and ruminate about, you know.

One day when I went down there, there was a dog there, a cute little dog. And when I went back the next day the little dog was there again. This went on for a few days so I got to thinking maybe I could get to know this dog.

Dr. Fletcher

Yeah.

Marty

So I brought a little ball from home. We started to play fetch and that was nice.

Dr. Fletcher

So this wasn't a relationship that you sought out, but you embraced it?

Marty

Well, then I thought that I would feed the dog as I used to feed Susan. We would eat together. So I went out one day with some dog food and I gave this little dog some in my hand and I had a little candy in my hand and we would eat at the same time like this.

(demonstrates eating)

And this was very nice. The dog had a certain sense of propriety.

Dr. Fletcher

OK.

Marty

So then I thought I would give the dog a special treat of some kind the way I would for Susan. So in my refrigerator at home I had some old chicken. So I brought this old chicken down to the park and we ate together like that. Then I went home and that night - and now I understand - that night I had a stomach ache.

Dr. Fletcher

From the chicken?

Marty

I guessed maybe it was from the chicken. It was old chicken.

Dr. Fletcher

Yeah. You know, I wonder if it might be that you were trying to sabotage the relationship with this new dog. Maybe you were trying to punish yourself for having a new dog in your life and that's why you brought along this bad food.

Marty

Well, maybe you're right about that. Because the next day when I went back to the park, the little dog was lying there, dead. Cause of death: old chicken.

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